Never Forgotten 34 Memorial Ceremony
May 10, 2022 9:30 AM at the Vietnam Wall
Honoring 34 Brothers Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice on May 10, 1972
Memorial Ceremony in Washington, DC
50 Years to the Day
Memorial Ceremony in Washington, DC
50 Years to the Day
"Your brother is our brother; now we are family too."
Welcome to all Gold Star Family members and friends of these heroes. Our fallen brothers will never be forgotten, not by you, nor by any of us. Their honor and courage are the epitome of our shared values. It is our great privilege to honor them, and you, on this 50th anniversary, May 10, 2022 - 50 years to the day of their ultimate sacrifice. We look forward to meeting each of you in Washington, DC.
- the Brothers of 1st Cavalry D Company 2nd/8th, the "Angry Skippers"
- the Brothers of 1st Cavalry D Company 2nd/8th, the "Angry Skippers"
Their Story
On May 10, 1972, members of the 1st Cav Company D 2nd/8th were pulled out of the combat zone and sent for a 3-day stand-down at the Army's beachfront R&R Center at Vung Tau, Vietnam. They boarded Chinook helicopters for the journey, joining the flight crew and soldiers from other units for the 40 mile flight. No doubt, they were happy and excited about their coming time of rest and relaxation. Tragically, while still in flight, one of the helicopters experienced sudden mechanical failure and crashed, according to official reports. There were no survivors and 34 souls perished that day.
Those 34 include:
1st Cav D Company 2nd/8th - 21 soldiers (including most of Skull platoon and their company commander)
1st Cav 362nd Aviation Co - 5 flight crew members
1st Cav 1st Signal Brig Aviation Detach. - 1 soldier
1st Cav A Company 1st/12th Cav - 7 soldiers
* The names of our 34 fallen brothers are listed on the "Remembering our Heroes" page (link at the top of this page).
* Crash documents are found on the "Documents" page - link at the top of this page.
On May 10, 1972, members of the 1st Cav Company D 2nd/8th were pulled out of the combat zone and sent for a 3-day stand-down at the Army's beachfront R&R Center at Vung Tau, Vietnam. They boarded Chinook helicopters for the journey, joining the flight crew and soldiers from other units for the 40 mile flight. No doubt, they were happy and excited about their coming time of rest and relaxation. Tragically, while still in flight, one of the helicopters experienced sudden mechanical failure and crashed, according to official reports. There were no survivors and 34 souls perished that day.
Those 34 include:
1st Cav D Company 2nd/8th - 21 soldiers (including most of Skull platoon and their company commander)
1st Cav 362nd Aviation Co - 5 flight crew members
1st Cav 1st Signal Brig Aviation Detach. - 1 soldier
1st Cav A Company 1st/12th Cav - 7 soldiers
* The names of our 34 fallen brothers are listed on the "Remembering our Heroes" page (link at the top of this page).
* Crash documents are found on the "Documents" page - link at the top of this page.
We hope you and your family will join us at these memorial events:
Mon, May 9, 2022
Angry Skipper Veterans and Gold Star Families Gathering. Location: AUSA Conference Center
Shuttle provided. Details at check in.
5:00 PM - Fellowship time - Barbecue Welcome Buffet
7:00 PM - Program - veterans' remembrances, presentations, etc.
More details on the Gathering Details link above.
Tues, May 10, 2022
9:30 AM - Memorial Ceremony with military honors at the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.
Bus provided. Details at check in.
More details on the Ceremony Details link above.
Honored Guests:
* Gold Star Family members of the Never Forgotten 34
* Angry Skipper Veterans and wives/families
* Veterans & their families from other units
Agenda
Early Arrival - May 6-8, 2022
Some Angry Skipper and other veteran families will be arriving as early as May 6 in order to tour the Washington, DC metro area, enjoy the local attractions, visit with other families, etc. We invite you to join us there at one of our two official event hotels.
There is a choice of two hotels providing special group rates. Please note the dates offered by each hotel:
Hyatt Place, Arlington/Courthouse - May 8-11, 2022
The Homewood Suites by Hilton Rosslyn Key Bridge - May 6-11, 2022
Find group rates, registration options, location, and other details for both hotels on the Hotels page, using the link above.
Mon, May 9, 2022
Angry Skipper Veterans and Gold Star Families Gathering
5:00 PM - Fellowship time - Barbecue Welcome Buffet
7:00 PM - Program-veterans' remembrances, presentations, etc.
More information on the Gathering Details page (link above).
Tues, May 10, 2022
9:30 - 10:30 AM Memorial Ceremony at the Vietnam Memorial Wall on the Mall in Wash., DC
11:15 - 9:00 PM Return to the hotels for visiting with veterans and other families
Families are welcome to linger at the Memorial Wall if they prefer. We invite all to return to the hotels for visiting throughout the afternoon and evening. Some veterans and families will be staying overnight May 10, departing the following morning. Some may stay and depart on Thurs, May 11.
It is our sincere hope that every one of our 34 Gold Star Families is able to attend. We also encourage you to invite other family members and friends to this celebration of life and service. It is not too late to confirm your reservation. If you have questions, let your Gold Star Family Host know or contact Jim Garvin (contact info below). We look forward to seeing you there!
Early Arrival - May 6-8, 2022
Some Angry Skipper and other veteran families will be arriving as early as May 6 in order to tour the Washington, DC metro area, enjoy the local attractions, visit with other families, etc. We invite you to join us there at one of our two official event hotels.
There is a choice of two hotels providing special group rates. Please note the dates offered by each hotel:
Hyatt Place, Arlington/Courthouse - May 8-11, 2022
The Homewood Suites by Hilton Rosslyn Key Bridge - May 6-11, 2022
Find group rates, registration options, location, and other details for both hotels on the Hotels page, using the link above.
Mon, May 9, 2022
Angry Skipper Veterans and Gold Star Families Gathering
5:00 PM - Fellowship time - Barbecue Welcome Buffet
7:00 PM - Program-veterans' remembrances, presentations, etc.
More information on the Gathering Details page (link above).
Tues, May 10, 2022
9:30 - 10:30 AM Memorial Ceremony at the Vietnam Memorial Wall on the Mall in Wash., DC
11:15 - 9:00 PM Return to the hotels for visiting with veterans and other families
Families are welcome to linger at the Memorial Wall if they prefer. We invite all to return to the hotels for visiting throughout the afternoon and evening. Some veterans and families will be staying overnight May 10, departing the following morning. Some may stay and depart on Thurs, May 11.
It is our sincere hope that every one of our 34 Gold Star Families is able to attend. We also encourage you to invite other family members and friends to this celebration of life and service. It is not too late to confirm your reservation. If you have questions, let your Gold Star Family Host know or contact Jim Garvin (contact info below). We look forward to seeing you there!
Making Connections
It is our hope that by this time, your family has been contacted by a veteran who will be serving as your Gold Star Family Host. These guys are excited to serve as your guide, get to know more of your hero's story and learn about your family members prior to the memorial events. If you have questions, concerns, comments, etc., please contact your Host and they will be happy to assist you. If you have not yet been contacted by a Gold Star Family Host, you may contact Jim Garvin, ([email protected] or 817-688-0731) and he will assist in getting you connected to one of our veterans.
Another way to get connected right away is to join our Facebook group: NEVER FORGOTTEN 34. This is a public group established as a place for meeting veterans and other families, sharing stories and photos of your loved one, and learning more about our memorial events. We'll also be sharing photos of soldiers there in the months ahead. We encourage everyone to join our Facebook group as soon as possible so that we can all get to know one another and learn more about your soldier over the coming months. Search for us on Facebook as NEVER FORGOTTEN 34 or use this direct link: NEVER FORGOTTEN 34 FACEBOOK GROUP LINK
It is our hope that by this time, your family has been contacted by a veteran who will be serving as your Gold Star Family Host. These guys are excited to serve as your guide, get to know more of your hero's story and learn about your family members prior to the memorial events. If you have questions, concerns, comments, etc., please contact your Host and they will be happy to assist you. If you have not yet been contacted by a Gold Star Family Host, you may contact Jim Garvin, ([email protected] or 817-688-0731) and he will assist in getting you connected to one of our veterans.
Another way to get connected right away is to join our Facebook group: NEVER FORGOTTEN 34. This is a public group established as a place for meeting veterans and other families, sharing stories and photos of your loved one, and learning more about our memorial events. We'll also be sharing photos of soldiers there in the months ahead. We encourage everyone to join our Facebook group as soon as possible so that we can all get to know one another and learn more about your soldier over the coming months. Search for us on Facebook as NEVER FORGOTTEN 34 or use this direct link: NEVER FORGOTTEN 34 FACEBOOK GROUP LINK
